The Montreal Canadiens dropped a crushing 7-2 decision against the hated Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
Sure, it was just a preseason game. Most of the Canadiens' regulars weren’t in the lineup. But starting goaltender Samuel Montembeault was. He surrendered five goals on 17 shots. And that’s where the concern begins.
While one could argue that the Habs weren’t very good defensively in front of Montembeault, it’s worth bearing in mind that the Maple Leafs dressed their AHL lineup. Fourth liners Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz scored two goals apiece.
That situation is something that the Habs must address at once. The team cannot expect to make the playoffs this season with that sort of effort.
All right, so Montembeault had an unfortunate off-night. No big deal, right?
Prospect Jacob Fowler took over in the third period with the game 5-2 at that point. The game was within striking distance. A couple of quick goals would have made the game interesting. However, the Leafs put the game away with a deuce in the third period.
Fowler gave up two goals on eight shots, including a highlight-reel goal by relatively unknown player Ryan Tverberg.
So, what does this mean for the Canadiens? Is there reason to panic at this point? Not necessarily. There’s no need to push the panic button just yet. But the team cannot afford to move forward with the sort of uncertainty in the crease. A weak goaltending situation could potentially derail the Habs’ season.
Canadiens need goalies to step up again this season
Last season, much of the credit for the Canadiens’ unexpected playoff run went to the team’s goalies. Montembeault and Jakub Dobes did well to provide steady, if unspectacular, goaltending.
Dobes got off to a flying start in his first handful of starts, but then cooled off. Still, he played well enough to keep the Canadiens in the playoff hunt all season long.
Montembeault, for his part, didn’t put up Vezina Trophy-worthy numbers, but did his part to provide stable goaltending. His performance in the playoffs against the Washington Capitals wasn’t overly impressive, but Montembeault played better than the numbers showed.
That’s why the Canadiens’ season could very well come down to their netminders. If Montembeault and Dobes, or whoever backs him up, play well enough to keep the team in the game, the overall talent in front of them could make up the difference.
Of course, that’s all dependent on consistency. The team must display steady play throughout the season. Otherwise, the Canadiens could face a significant regression this season.